How about learning something new this autumn?

Ah the long school summer holidays! Perhaps you have fond memories of them from your childhood but now – if you have children of your own – you are just counting the days until the kids go back to school! Not that you don’t enjoy all the fun family times of course, but 6 weeks can be a long – not to mention expensive – time to keep everyone entertained.

But then September comes, along with the big Back to School, and suddenly life can feel very empty again. You begin to miss those chaotic family times, and perhaps even feel you’re missing out on the idea of making a fresh start.

So this year, why not consider going Back to School yourself, and learning something new? This doesn’t have to be a full-time course: let’s be honest, most of us don’t have the luxury of that opportunity. But there are many other ways to learn, as we shall look at shortly.

There are so many benefits to learning something new, and a lot of truth in the concept that learning is a lifelong process. Perhaps there is something that you have always wanted to do. Whether it’s speaking another language, watercolour painting or a particular type of cookery, why not make 2023 the year you do just that?

And bear in mind that if you go on any kind of course, learning can be a means to meeting new groups of people and brightening up your social life. It can also improve your career prospects and potentially open up a whole new world of opportunities.

But if you want to learn something new this autumn, where is the best place to start?

Here are five ideas on how to go about it:

• A part time university course

We’ve already acknowledged that most people are in circumstances that mean they would be unable to take up a full-time course. However, if you really want to do a degree or vocational course, many universities have a range of options that may be just what you are looking for. It could well be possible to find either a part time or distance learning course that you would be able to fit in around work and other commitments.

The first step would be to take a look at the UCAS website to see the kind of options available and find out more information about entry requirements and financing.

• An evening class

Autumn is the most popular starting time for many evening courses and classes. It’s a great time to start a course both psychologically – that Back to School feeling! – and also logistically because the evenings are still light and you feel like getting out and about.

There are a wealth of different courses and classes out there. Get in touch with your local colleges and community groups to see what’s available in your area. Also check out websites such as Find Courses or WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) – to get a better idea of what courses exist, and which are running near you.

• An online class

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, chances are that you had not heard much about online video conferencing tools such as Zoom. But during the pandemic, it gradually became the norm to interact over online platforms. This trend has continued long beyond the pandemic, enabling many more people to access a wealth of information, entertainment, and education by interacting online.

So if you would prefer to study from the comfort of your own home, but in the company of others, there is likely to be the perfect course for you out there somewhere. As well as checking out the course websites already mentioned, try Googling online courses for the topic you want to learn.

• Personal study

If you are an independent learner, you may just want to find material to study at your own pace without being tied to particular days and times. This can be really effective if you have the discipline to stick to it. And the good news is that there are so many ways that you can do this, for example YouTube videos, other online resources, books and DVDs. 

If you want to learn a language, check out some fun websites such as Duolingo or Babbel. If you are thinking more of vocational or job-related skills, take a look at the National Careers Service Skills Toolkit that provides a list of free online technical and business courses. 

In general, for any topic of your choice, a quick search on Google or browse through YouTube is likely to bring up plenty of resources to get you started!

• A study group

A slight variation on personal study is to find a few like-minded people who would also be interested in studying the same topic as you. You could all study independently but meet up now and again either to discuss what you’re learning, study a particular topic together, or perhaps attend a talk or relevant visit as a group. This would give you all the benefits and flexibility of independent study but also build in a social network for occasional interaction and encouragement.

We hope that this article has given you some ideas and inspiration about different ways to learn something new this autumn. Whatever you are interested in learning, and however you prefer to learn, you should be able to find something that works well for you.

And if you need a financial boost in order to help you get started, remember that Loans 2 Go offers online loans that may be able to help.

Do visit us here again soon for more helpful lifestyle tips from Loans 2 Go.